COVID-19: Death toll in Sweden tops 10,000

By Atilla Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - The death toll in Sweden from the coronavirus hit 10,185, after 351 deaths were registered Thursday.

It also reported 6,580 new cases bringing the number of infections to 518,783.

Sweden was one of the few countries that did not introduce strict lockdown measures, and instead relied on public recommendations to stem the spread of the virus.

The Nordic country’s death rate per capita is higher than its neighbors but still lower than other European countries that opted for lockdowns.

The leader of the opposition Christian Democrats, Ebba Busch, demanded Prime Minister Stefan Lofven resign Thursday because the nation’s COVID-19 strategy failed to keep numbers down.

“As the pandemic continued, I personally witnessed Lofven and other officials discussing the benefits of the spread of the virus to the masses. They failed, I call on the government to pay the price and resign,” she said.

*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak